Page 29 of Loving Smoke

Bolt drew in a breath.

“I can guarantee you a much better room than those shacks, plus food, and did I mention The Tropics is a strip club.”

The usual rule of our strip joints in San Diego was hands off the workers, but rules didn’t apply when I was desperate with the cartel breathing down my neck in a shady city like Tijuana. Bolt fuckin’ the strippers was the least of my worries.

11

Excitement bubbled just under the surface as I entered The Tropics for my shift the next night. Even my father was pleased with the way I played Smoke last night, and he didn’t give out praise freely.

I had the next step of our plan all worked out and if my guess was right the big, bad biker would be eating out of my hand. Or at least falling for my scheme to take him and his buddies down.

Only one problem, since I’d gotten here I hadn’t seen Blood or Smoke, although there was a new face who was introduced as extra security after last night’s robbery. I discreetly asked one of the other bartenders where the bosses were but she didn’t have any information either.

The night progressed with the steady flow of regulars and tourists. At one a.m. I took a short break hoping I might see Smoke by the offices or in the back hallway, but no such luck. I did run into Blood coming out of the office with his usual expression set in stone. Some of the other girls had a huge crush on Blood, but I steered clear since he obviously looked out for Smoke and never seemed very friendly. Not an asset to my plan.

I pushed through the back door and collided with Bolt, the new bouncer.

“Ohhh, sorry, hun.” He reached out his thick palm to steady me, then opened the door wider.

“Thank you.”

“Coming out for a smoke break?”

The question threw me for a second. “Ahhh, yes.”

I’d tried smoking on a dare from Manny in my early teens while home on break from Santa Catalina. I inhaled way too much smoke, choked and felt nauseous for the rest of the day. Not a habit or sensation I wanted to revisit.

Bolt pulled out a lighter in an attempt to light my cigarette, and I stared at him blankly. “Ohhhh stupid me, I left my smokes behind the bar.”

“No, problem.” He slipped a pack out of his pocket, knocked one out and offered it to me.

I stuck it between my lips and he touched the lighter to the tip. I drew from my end praying I wouldn’t repeat my one and only smoking experience. I inhaled feeling the burn of the smoke while controlling my urge to cough. On the exhale the smoke miraculously flowed out of my mouth without incident although my head did spin a bit.

“So, how’s your first night going?” Maybe this block of a man could shed some light to where Smoke was tonight.

“Not bad.” Bolt lit his own cigarette, and a huge cloud of smoke billowed around his lips. Obviously more proficient than me. “Much better than busting my ass and sweating my balls off at that fight club.”

“Fight club?” I was familiar with the movie starring Brad Pitt. What female wasn’t, but I had no firsthand information.

“Yeah, I was throwing fists over at a club about fifteen minutes from here. Not bad, but this gig is much better.” Bolt shot a look over his shoulder. “Sandoval don’t believe in giving the fighters any extras.”

I clenched my teeth and schooled my reaction. For a millisecond I thought Bolt guessed my real identity.

“At least here I got a room upstairs with air-conditioning that actually works and I’m not getting my face busted up.”

He grinned and it accentuated every scar on his roughed up face and again I marveled at how people were so different than they appeared. Had I seen this man coming toward me on a dark night I might’ve crossed the street just because of his bulk and appearance. When in reality his voice was soft and his mannerisms were almost gentle for such a large man.

“Smoke gave me a good deal, so don’t you worry. If I see anybody giving you or any of the other girls a hard time, I will bust them the fuck up.”

“Nice.” I returned his smile. “About Smoke, have you seen him tonight?”

“Ahhh, yeah. Him and me were moving some liquor stock, and a bottle of tequila fell and broke all over him. Probably went upstairs to change.”

“I see.” I kept flicking the ash of the cigarette in hopes it would burn down on its own.

“You like working for them?” Bolt asked. “They seem like good guys.”

“Oh, they are.”

---